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He nodded. No more arguments. Everyone began to move, all of us fueled by an overwhelming sense of urgency.

To my surprise,Visha began stripping.“We’re about the same size,” she said, eyeballing me as she started shrugging out of the black-and-cherry-red jerkin she was wearing.The leather had been cut thin and layered for strength, with overlapping pieces along the shoulders and a high collar. I held out my arms dutifully as she yanked the jerkin over my shoulders.Visha patted my stomach as she tightened the lacings.“It’s soft leather.You’ll still be able to twist and turn as you ride.”

As she started to pull narrow crimson vambraces over my arms, I called out instructions to Rodriguez. He pulled the bottle of crushed mirthleaf I’d already prepared earlier from the cupboard along with a bundle of emberfern. “Wear gloves! The sap stings if it touches your skin.”

He nodded and did as I said. I continued to call out the ratio of ingredients from memory, my mind harkening back to the books I’d read that echoed Lunaya’s claim. The strongest recipe I’d read about had the highest ratio of emberfern and the lowest amount of mirthleaf. I decided we’d use that one. Rodriguez worked quickly, crushing the emberfern leaves with a mortar and pestle and then blending the two herbs together into a sticky mixture.

As he worked across the room, equipment was being spread out on the table before me. Lysander laid down a crossbow. The wood was lacquered in a rich shade of violet, and the trigger guard was inlaid with gold. The House Orphos motto was scrawled along the wood. Blood of Dreamers. I touched the words gently with a fingertip.

“This was my sister’s,” he said. “I know she’d want you to have it now.”

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes. “I’m honored to carry it until she returns. I wish she were here with us.”

A silver-and-black bolt case clattered down beside the bow. Kage’s Second, Evie, stood there. I hadn’t noticed her come in. “Avari scout bolts. Shorter quills, lighter shafts.” She flicked open the lid to show twenty bolts nested inside, each fletched with raven feathers. “They’re the best we have.”

I nodded, trying not to show the fear I was feeling at the thought of actually firing a crossbow from dragonback.

As Visha finished dressing me, cinching greaves over the boots she’d given me, and now standing barefoot herself, Rodriguez came over holding a flask full of a coppertinged syrup. Healer Elycia was beside him. Her expression focused, she started pulling on a second pair of gloves. Together they removed the bolts and began carefully coating them in the two mixtures.

Parapet. Now, Nyxaris’s voice boomed in my skull.

“We’re out of time,” I whispered. “Nyxaris says I have to go.”

Rodriguez set down the last of the bolts. “First, listen.” He pointed to the first set of bolts. “Godsbane on its own will sting him. It’ll slow his reflexes, steal some of his heat. But the coatings can’t mingle together on a single quarrel—we have no idea what effect they could have on one another. They need to stay separate.”

I nodded. “So I shoot with Godsbane bolts first.”

“Yes. Then, if you’re determined to try the emberfern mix—” he glanced at Medra, standing silently beside me “—well, Nyxaris will have to cut an opening for you.”

My heart sped up. Not that it could go any faster at this point. “What does that mean?”

“It means exactly what it sounds like. He’ll need to hit Vorago with a direct blast. Dragon fire is the only thing besides Godsbane that will penetrate Inferni scales. You’ll shoot the emberfern bolts into the wound. We have no idea what Vorago’s healing speed is like, so act quickly.”

The entire room was hushed. The plan sounded less like strategy and more like a game of dice—a game I had very little chance of winning. I swallowed, turned, and found Medra watching me. Her eyes were steady. “Do whatever you have to do to bring him back. The Blake I know would rather carry countless scars than wake from this with Veilmar’s blood staining his soul.” Her fingers closed over my forearm. “Don’t flinch. Not even for a moment. You can do this.”

I nodded. But surely it was too late. Whatever was left of Blake, tonight had stained his soul irrevocably. How could it not?

To my surprise, Professor Sankara clapped me on the shoulder next. “I’ve never had the honor of having you as my student, Miss Shen, but Professor Allenvale had only wonderful things to say. Remember her bravery, and let it drive you tonight. Luck usually boils down to quick thinking and courage. From what I can see, you have both in good measure.”

I wasn’t so sure about that, but I forced a wobbly smile. “Thank you.”

Visha came towards me, holding a sheathed dagger. She tucked it into one of my greaves. “Come back safe.”

I looked at all their faces, one by one, wondering if I’d ever see any of them again.

My eyes flew to Evie. “My mother …”

“We found her,” Kage’s Second said quickly. “She was barricaded in her room with some of the other librarians. An Avari team went out earlier to find them. She’s unharmed.” She hesitated. “She’s down in the common room. Theo Drakharrow and his friend are sitting with her now. Do you want to see her before you go? She’s been asking about you.”

I closed my eyes, then shook my head. I knew Theo would tell her what was happening. “No. I have to go.” I opened my eyes, looking at my dearest friend. “Medra …”

Her green eyes gleamed. “Yes, you can.” She answered the question on the tip of my lips in a voice of steel.

My eyes watered, but I nodded.Then I slung the bolt case up over my shoulder, grabbed Lunaya’s crossbow, and headed to the stairs.

There was a dragon waiting for me. And we had a city to save.

CHAPTER 35